<p>There are older threads about this, but I wanted some new opinions.
I was accepted to both Newhouse and the Park School as a journalism major, but was offered a lot of money at Ithaca and next to nothing from Syracuse.
Newhouse was my dream school because of the selectivity and reputation. I also visited and loved it. I have yet to visit Ithaca.
To any current students or alumni: As far as a journalism program, does the Park school offer internships, connections, etc. that can compare to Newhouse?
Is anyone happy or unhappy in either of the programs?
Also, does anyone know if the Park School is very selective? I can't find any stats on it.</p>
<p>@worldforgetting, I will give you a parent’s perspective, FWIW. When we went to Central New York this fall, we landed in Ithaca first and then drove to SU, where DD had an interview. Let me first say that the IC Campus is very nice and it sits on a hill overlooking Cayuga Lake. The view of the lake from the admissions office is breathtaking. We toured the campus and it was small, but the buildings seemed to be well maintained. We also toured the Park school and it seemed small, but with lots of modern equipment and the enthusiastic tour guides named a few alums that were famous - I can’t remember any of their names. They also mentioned that the school had facilities in Los Angeles and that students could study and conduct internships while there. All-in-all, I thought that it was a very nice, albeit small, school and had I been in DD’s shoes, I would have applied. </p>
<p>DD, on the other hand, took it off her list after we visited SU. She said that the school lacked diversity, which is important to her - I must admit that we did not see very many kids of color. She also said that she was “not feeling Ithaca” - too small for her.</p>
<p>Hope that this helps.</p>
<p>@worldforgetting. I’m clearly biased because I’m the dean of the Park School & an alum myself</p>
<p>We have amazing internships & alum / industry connections. Students begin courses in their major from the first semester so many do internships starting the summer after their freshman year. All students take a ‘signature’ course in their first semester called 'S’Park where we explore trends & challenges in all the facets of communications. We being in & Skype in speakers such as alums David Muir, Bob Iger (Disney CEO), Andy Oregel, one of the founders of MTV, as well as more recent alums. Our freshmen begin talking with them & even responding to their challenges & giving advice. </p>
<p>We have a full time internship coordinator & we have contacts all over the world. As mentioned above we have a center In Los Angeles & a new one in NYC where student can live for a semester… students do internships during the day & take 2 courses in the late afternoon/ evening </p>
<p>I hope you come for a visit; although we are a bit smaller than Newhouse, we have unparalleled opportunities for students to get involved from day one on our 2 radio stations, TV channel, newspaper, & new Transmedia Studio</p>
<p>@worldforgetting. Like Dean Gayeski I to cannot offer you an unbiased opinion since I do work at Ithaca College and the Park School of Communications. </p>
<p>Dean Gayeski is right in saying that the Park School and Ithaca College provide students unparalleled opportunities. I would be happy to assist you in setting up a full comprehensive visit. I can arrange for you to sit and meet with current students, see our facilities, sit in on classes and experience our award-winning student media. </p>
<p>Choosing the right school is exciting but having all the information is important. All options should be considered before choosing the right school for you. </p>
<p>My name is April Johanns and please feel free to contact me at <a href=“mailto:ajohanns@ithaca.edu”>ajohanns@ithaca.edu</a> or 607-274-1789.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>@MSMDAD, @DGayeski… Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate it!
@Ajohanns… I am messaging you to hopefully set up a tour!</p>
<p>It’s funny that on this Syracuse forum, no one representing Syracuse has responded and there has been some strong support for Ithaca…including a dean! So for some balance…</p>
<p>While I know Ithaca is a fine college, Newhouse is both nationally and internationally known for the media and communications arts. There are many famous alums they can boast of as well (see Newhouse’s wiki site), not to mention a really strong network of alums in NYC with internships. As for diversity, Syracuse U is very diverse as a whole so I don’t understand MSMDAD’s strange first impression.</p>
<p>In academic circles, the top 3 schools of communication are usually Northwestern, USC and SU-Newhouse. NewsPro rated Newhouse the top school for journalism. On average 4,000 kids apply each year for 345 spots. Very competative as befitting one of the top schools of communication.</p>
<p>Both Park and Newhouse are fine programs. Do more research, look at each school’s Wiki sites (more honest than any school’s .edu sites) to get a better picture of what each school can offer.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>@RamRay, For the record, MSMDAD is a Syracuse University alum and is very proud and aware of the diversity of SU. The comment about the lack of diversity in my post was related to Ithaca College.</p>
<p>MSMDAD, any change with your DD aid package?</p>
<p>@HappyDaddy, No, not yet. Just last night I sent additional information to SU and completed the FAFSA. Hope to hear something soon.</p>
<p>Good Luck MSMDAD. I just sent 2012 tax and W2 forms to IDOC per SU request. Still hoping for my aid. You can never have too much.</p>
<p>There are no official rankings of communications programs. But last year two websites came out with their own lists. In December, in an issue of NewsPro, its magazine geared to news professionals, TVWeek.com published the top 25 journalism schools in the country.
According to the TVWeek and NewsPro survey of more than 400 participants, many of whom are news professionals, the top 10 J-schools are:
- Syracuse University
- Northwestern University
- Columbia University
- University of Missouri at Columbia
- University of Southern California
- Arizona State University
- New York University
- University of California at Berkeley
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- George Washington University
As you can see, The Park School doesn’t make the list. I think every student should find the school that best suits his or her needs. But if you are looking for the best journalism school, most news professionals would say its the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. And we have a better basketball team. Go Orange!</p>
<p>Dear Worldforgetting,
I think you should visit Ithaca. You really need to see both schools. I think after you do, you will decide Newhouse is the best place for you. Newhouse is No. 1 and it has a higher job placement rate than other programs as well. Newhouse students get internships and they get jobs because they are so well-prepared. Also, Newhouse is an accredited program (ACEJMC) and Park School is not. Think of accreditation as the good housekeeping seal of approval for j-schools. Newhouse has it, Park does not.</p>
<p>I have been meeting with and mentoring students at Ithaca College for almost 30 years. The advice I can give those deciding between Syracuse University and Ithaca College need to follow their heart. What’s important to you and which school offers that to you. Rankings mean nothing without the backstory concerning how they collect their data. Both schools have impressive lists of impotant people. This isn’t important either as they are probably not accessible to the average college student regardless of their colloge. Both programs offer interesting programs throughout the United States and abroad. I can testify that I came to Ithaca College to teach smart students who have a goal. I haven’t been discouraged. But then, I bet my colleagues at Syracuse can testify to the same issues. If I was choosing, I would make a list (short one) of the characteristics that are important and that make these schools different. Then I would find out how the schools deal with these issues. It’s critical that you visit both campuses to get their “feel.” To the student who thought Syracuse felt right should go there.</p>
<p>I have been reading this thread and it’s interesting to see how many Park School employees have responded in favor of their college. Unfortunately, I feel that these responses are biased; I would prefer to hear from Park School alum or broadcast journalism professionals who may offer a somewhat less-biased opinion.</p>
<p>My son was accepted at both Newhouse and the Park School. He has visited both campuses more than once and even spent a weekend at Ithaca visiting classes, etc. Although Ithaca was slightly more generous with their financial aid (merit scholarships), we are currently leaning toward Newhouse. In fact, we will be visiting Syracuse this weekend for their “Own the Dome” event.</p>
<p>Here is my take on both programs, for what it’s worth (and I have no affiliation with either college)…</p>
<p>Ithaca/Park School: boasts a less structured program, where students are able to choose their own fields of study; for some, this is attractive. I believe this stems from the fact that the Park School is not accredited; a big negative for me. While the Park School was ranked among the top 25 (somewhere between 11-25) broadcast journalism schools in a NewsPro magazine survey (with a sample size of 400), I have not seen the Park School come up on any other rankings anywhere near the top 25; the NewsPro ranking may be inflated and an anomaly, at least for Ithaca. As for their studios, the Park School facilities are certainly adequate, but with the push for digital media, I have serious concern that their studios will be outdated in the very near future, if they are not already outdated. During a campus tour, a representative admitted that they cannot keep up with Newhouse in this regard.</p>
<p>Syracuse/Newhouse: is accredited and therefore students have a more structured program, although electives are still abundant. While rankings can vary widely, Newhouse appears either in the No. 1 spot, or at least among the top 5 on numerous polls, indicating that they are truly in the top 5 of broadcast journalism schools. While the Park School touts David Muir and Robert Iger as famous alum (and I do enjoy David Muir), go visit Newhouse’s Wall of Fame and you’ll see the depth of Newhouse’s talented alum. With regard to its facilities, Newhouse has a huge budget and is currently spending $18 million to completely update their studios for digital media. It seems that Newhouse has a major edge over Park School here.</p>
<p>My concern with both schools is job placement; after all, what else matters (our kids have to pay back all those loans)! I can’t seem to find any meaningful data for either college, although after speaking with some professionals in the broadcast journalism business, they all suggest going to Newhouse, if you can get in. Newhouse has the name; even on the Ithaca tour, they referred to Newhouse as if it were the golden standard. My other concern is cost. While Ithaca and Syracuse aren’t that far apart on their advertised cost (I think about $3000 or so), Ithaca generally offers more aid, probably as a way of enticing would-be Newhouse grads over to the Park School campus. Syracuse, from my personal dealings so far, are almost “snobish” on the price; take it or leave it. If I were purchasing a new car, I would simply walk out of this dealership. But it’s not a car that we’re buying; it’s a unique education that can’t be found elsewhere. Therefore, if you want the Newhouse name, you’re going to pay for it (we’re in the process of seeing how to scrape up enough cash to make it work).</p>
<p>As an alternative suggestion, we are considering Hofstra University. They probably have a better name than Ithaca in most professional circles, they are accredited, and their close proximity to NYC may provide better internship opportunities. They have also hosted two national presidential debates, which has provided some attention for them. Hofstra was even more generous with their financial aid than Ithaca. I think it’s a solid choice and worth a look.</p>
<p>I hope this post is helpful. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who replied. I have decided to go to the Newhouse school at Syracuse University.</p>
<p>worldforgetting, Congratulations! Good choice! </p>
<p>willie16, Very thorough and well written post. Sounds like Hofstra is a really good option and I wish my DD would have considered it. In any case, please let us know what your DS decides.</p>
<p>MSMDAD,
We just returned from a Syracuse “Own the Dome” event this past Sunday and Monday and my DS picked Newhouse. I just put the deposit down this evening (Ugh!). But I agree that Newhouse is tops…</p>
<p>worldforgetting,
Congrats! Newhouse is a great choice! Good luck!</p>
<p>willie16, Congratulations to you and your DS. As an aside, I have to mention to future readers of this thread that another very viable alternative to Newhouse and the Park School is the University of Missouri’s Journalism School, which is arguably one of Newhouse’s main academic rivals. Tuition and room and board costs are significantly lower, and students who have high ACT/SAT scores and GPAs are offered automatic scholarships. Additionally, Columbia, Missouri, is a very vibrant college town.</p>
<p>My DD is so excited about SU and Newhouse, she said no to a pretty good offer from Notre Dame and the Mendoza business school. Her decision. I am buying Orange shirts
MSMDAD, Missouri recruited her as a soccer player. I also hear Columbia is a great town.</p>
<p>Re: accreditation of Newhouse vs. Park: Both colleges are accredited by Middle States- the regional accrediting agency. Newhouse also has an OPTIONAL accreditation from the Assoc of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communications. Ithaca has never applied for this because it limits the amount of courses you can take in your major, including internships. From our experience and all the data available, internships are VERY important. The Park School meets all of the other accreditation requirements, including number of Ph.D,'s the courses required in the curriculum, etc. Both are very fine schools. Syracuse and others are more highly ranked because of their graduate programs-- their faculty publish more because that is their emphasis, while the emphasis in Park is on undergraduate teaching. </p>